Container for sprinkling powdered or granular materials

ABSTRACT

THIS INVENTION RELATES TO A CONTAINER, WHICH CONSISTS OF A HOLLOW CARTRIDGE AND A BOTTOMLESS HOLLOW BODY USE FOR SPRINKLING POWDERED CONDIMENTS OR GRANULAR MATERIALS. THE HOLLOW CARTRIDGE IS CHARGED WITH SUCH POWDERED OR GRANULAR MATERIALS AND IT HAS AN OPENING MOUTH PORTION AND A CLOSED BOTTOM WALL OR PLATE. THE BOTTOM PLATE HAS RAISED FINGER-GRASPING PROJECTIONS WHICH ARE PROJECTED INWARDLY THEREFROM. THE HOLLOW BODY HAS A CANOPY IN WHICH A PLURALITY OF DISPENSING HOLES ARE PROVIDED FOR SPRINKLING SUCH POWDERED OR GRANULAR MATERIALS. THE HOLLOW CARTRIDGE CAN BE INSERTED INTO AND SUPPORTED WITHIN THE HOLLOW BODY BY SUITABLE COMBINATION SUPPORTING AND INTERLOCKING MEANS.

y 23, 1972 DAIICH'I SHIOZAWA 3,664,554

CONTAINER FOR SPRINKLING POWDERED OR GRANULAR MATERIALS Filed Nov. 12, 1969 FIG. 2

FIG.

. FIG. 3b

FIG. 3a

FIG. 4

DAIICHI SHIOZAWA Emma/yaw ATTORNEYS United States Patent C CONTAINER FOR SPRINKLING POWDERED R GRANULAR MATERIALS Daiichi Shiozawa, Tokyo, Japan, assignor to Dai Nippon Insatsu Kabushiki Kaisha, Tokyo, Japan Filed Nov. 12, 1969, Ser. No. 875,717 Claims priority, application Japan, Nov. 16, 1968, 43/ 99,417 Int. Cl. A47g 19/24 US. Cl. 222-183 8 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This invention relates to a container, which consists of a hollow cartridge and a bottomless hollow body used for sprinkling powdered condiments or granular materials. The hollow cartridge is charged with such powdered or granular materials and it has an opening mouth portion and a closed bottom wall or plate. The bottom plate has raised finger-grasping projections which are projected inwardly therefrom. The hollow body has a canopy in which a plurality of dispensing holes are provided for sprinkling such powdered or granular materials. The hol low cartridge can be inserted into and supported within the hollow body by suitable combination supporting and interlocking means.

This invention relates to a container or .a bottle for sprinkling powdered or granular materials. The container consists of a hollow outer body and a hollow inner cartridge. The hollow outer body is formed to have tapering side wall enlarging toward the lower end of the bottomless hollow body and has on the top a canopy or cover which is provided with a sprinkling hole or holes formed in a desired shape. The hollow cartridge may be charged with a seasoning such as, pepper, mustard or the like and can be inserted into the hollow body, fitted into the inner side of the wall of the hollow body and supported in the hollow body by means of supporting means. When the content is completely consumed, the hollow cartridge can be replaced with a new one.

Heretofore, there have been proposed various types of containers or bottles varied in shape and structure for sprinkle dispensing a powdered or granular material such as seasonings in a desired amount. Such containers or bottles are complicated in structure and costly in price. So, it is wasteful to throw away such containers or bottles after such seasonings have been fully consumed, the practice has evolved of re-charging them with a new supply of seasoning by taking it out from a large storing can or supply bag. When the new seasoning is transferred from the large storing can or bag into a small container or bottle, it is done by breaking the seal of the principal container. In the latter case the seasoning tends to absorb the moisture contained in the environmental atmosphere and deteriorate in taste, fragrance and quality. This invention has for its object the provision of an improved container or bottle for sprinkling powdered or granular seasoning materials by eliminating such defects inherent to the conventional containers or bottles as mentioned above.

The aforesaid object of this invention is achievable by providing a composite container or bottle assembly comprising a bottomless, hollow outer body and a hollow inner body or cartridge. The hollow inner cartridges can be mass-produced in any desired shape and can easily be individually charged with such materials which are capable of being stored without absorbing the moisture and Without deteriorating in fragrance, taste and quality.

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be radially inserted into the hollow body and releasably supported therein when needed for use.

A preferable embodiment of this invention is illustrated by the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of the cap 1 for the hollow outer body. The cap has a closed top wall and an open bottom defined by an annular axially depending skirted side wall, which is fitted over the canopy of the hollow body.

FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of the hollow outer body 2 which is shaped like a frusto-conical cylinder having the wall 3 enlarging toward the lower end of the hollow body. The hollow body 2. is bottomless and provided with one or more shouldered neck portions 4 around the upper portion. The canopy or top cover 5 is formed to fit on the top of the hollow body. The cap 1 rests on one of the neck ledge portions 4. The neck portion of the outer body is of non-tapering cylindrical form and has a pair of stepped shoulders disposed axially below its radially inward lugs 7 and axially below one another and has radially inward and outward portions. The radially inward portions provide for further circumferential centering and stabilization of the inner cartridge in its assembled relationshipwith the outer body. The radially outward portions include a circumferential ledge to cooperably receive and support the skirt portions of the cylindrical cap or cover which overlays the top and neck portion. The cover 5 is provided with a plurality of holes 6 which are formed in a desired shape and size for sprinkling the powdered or granular material contained in the hollow outer cartridge. The hollow body 2 is also provided with radial projections 7 on the inner side of the same for engaging it with a complementary radial projection of the hollow cartridge.

FIG. 3a or FIG. 3b shows a perspective view of the inner hollow cartridge 8 which is vertically cut away in part in the lower portion. The hollow cartridge 8 is made to have a peripheral side wall which enlarges toward the lower end thereof so that it can be complementally inserted into the outer hollow body as shown in FIG. 2. The hollow cartridge 8 is provided with the open mouth 12 at the top and which mouth 12 is adapted to abut with the inner side of the cover 5. As shown in FIG. 3a, the hollow cartridge 8 is provided with a plurality of spaced radially outward projections 13 on the wall 9 in the upper portion; and also, as shown in the slightly different form of FIG. 3b, the projections 13' are formed as a flange portion on the upper portion of the wall 9 adjacent the opening. The inner cartridge has its closed bottom plate 10 provided with the two indentations 11, 11 which are integrally formed therewith. The hollow cartridge, therefore, can be more easily inserted into the hollow body by holding it with fingertips.

FIG. 4 shows an elevational view of the assembled container of this invention which is vertically cut away in part to better show the details of construction and assembled relationship. The outer body 2 is provided with transverse radial lugs or projections 7 on the inner side of the wall 3 in the upper portion, which can readily engage with the aforesaid projections 13 or 13' near the opening of said cartridge. It is, however, noted that the engagement between the projection 7 and the projection 13 can be modified by using a combination of complementally formed male and female screw threads which are pro- 'vided in the upper portions of the hollow body and the hollow cartridge respectively.

FIG. 5 shows a sectional view of the upper portion of the hollow body.

In using the container of this invention as shown in FIG. 4, the non-illustrated covering seal is removed from the cartridge 8 charged with the powdered or granular These pre-filled hollow cartridges are such that they can materials such as seasonings, pepper, mustard or the like,

and said cartridge is inserted into the outer hollow body 2 by holding it with two fingers at the indentations 11 and 11 so that the opening 12 of the cartridge is fitted tightly into the cover 5, as frictionally held in association with body 2 and the projections 7 are rotatively interlockingly engaged with the projection 13 for supporting and centering the cartridge within the hollow body in association with an annular inner shoulder 4'. Then the cover 5 is enclosed with the cap 1 which is engaged with the neck portion 4. When the container is to be used, remove the cap 1 and sprinkle out the content of the cartridge 8 through the holes 6 provided on the cover 5. When the content of the cartridge is used up, the empty cartridge can be replaced with a new hollow cartridge charged with a fresh seasoning such as pepper, mustard or the like in the same manner as mentioned above. The new hollow cartridge can easily be charged with such a fresh seasoning without scattering it via its fully open mouth. The open mouth of the charged cartridge can be temporarily sealed for preventing the absorption of moisture and the deterioration of taste, fragrance and quality of the fresh seasoning during storing it. The charged cartridge can be easily inserted into and supported within the hollow body by holding it at two or more indentations with fingertips as mentioned above.

It is apparent that the cap 1, the hollow outer body 2 and the hollow inner cartridge 8 can be mass-produced at a low price by using the conventional techniques such as a molding, an injection and a pouring process, and also using the conventional materials such as plastics, glass and metals. It is, however, preferable to mold a plastic film or sheet under a reduced pressure in the manufacture of the container or the bottle of this invention.

What I claim is:

1. A composite container for sprinkle dispensing a powdered or granular material therefrom, comprising, in combination:

(a) a bottomless hollow outer body and a generally cylindrical walled inner body or cartridge having a closed bottom wall and an open top or mouth, with said outer body having perforated top cover means disposed adjacent said cartridge open mouth, and said cartridge to be charged via said open mouth prior to assembly therewith with said powdered material, said inner cartridge insertable within the outer body via the open bottom;

(b) said outer body adjacently below its perforated top cover means, being provided with radially inward lugs or projections at predetermined circumferentially spaced intervals;

(0) said inner cartridge having adjacent its open mouth a plurality of radially outwardly directed projections for releasably engaging and coacting in an interlocking manner with said lugs on the outer body responsive to relative axial and rotative movement of the outer and inner bodies;

(d) said outer body lugs being of a size and so spaced to both retainingly suspend the cartridge therewith and to also peripherally engage with said cartridge to help center it within said outer body.

2. A composite container as defined in claim 1, further including a pair of oppositely spaced digital indentations in the bottom plate of said cartridge to facilitate handling, holding and relative rotational assembly of the inner and outer bodies.

3. A composite container as defined in claim 1, wherein the projections On the inner cartridge are in the form of a circumferentially notched outwardly directed terminal flange disposed around the open mouth of the cartridge.

4. A composite container as defined in claim 1, wherein said outer body is provided with a stepped or shouldered upper neck portion having an inner radial portion spaced axially below its radial lug projections and which provides further circumferential centering and stabilization of the cartridge in its assembled relationship within the outer body.

5. A composite container as defined in claim 1, wherein said shouldered upper neck portion also has an outer annular support ledge for cooperation with said removable cover means which comprises a cylindrical cap having a closed top end wall transverse to an axial skirt terminating in an open bottom having skirt bottom edges for cooperative seating on said outer annular support ledge.

6. A composite container as defined in claim 1, wherein said inner and outer bodies are of generally complementary frusto-conical shape and being larger at the bottom than at the top, and said outer body is provided with a non-tapering cylindrical neck portion having a stepped shoulder disposed axially below its radially inward lug projections, which shoulder includes a radially inward portion and a radially outward portion; the radially inward portion providing further circumferential centering and stabilization of the cartridge in its assembled relationship with the outer body; and said radially outward portion including a circumferential ledge to cooperably receive and support thereon a cylindrical cap cover which overlays the cylindrical neck portion.

7. A composite container as defined in claim 1, wherein said outer body is provided with a pair of axially spaced annular stepped shoulders and having two generally uniform diameter neck portions thereat but of slightly different diameters and being of diiferent length in the axial direction to thereby provide receiving cover means of correspondingly diiferent diameters and axial lengths.

8. A composite container as defined in claim 1, wherein said perforated cover means includes an inner perforated cover plate tightly frictionally attached to an open mouth of said outer body rather than to said cartridge to facilitate ease of recharging the open-mouthed cartridge when emptied after use; and an outer non-perforated cylindrical capcover to removably overlay said inner cover and engage with said outer body circumferentially adacent the open mouth portion.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,470,579 10/ 1923 Rohdiek 220-40 1,582,681 4/1926 Hammer 215-31 X 2,547,590 4/1951 McGinnis 222-545 X 1,784,979 12/1930 Witherspoon 222-183 1,927,553 9/ 1933' 'Lusher 222-183 2,137,041 11/1938 Barnes 222-183 2,323,865 7/1943 Barnes 222-565 2,816,682 12/1957 Brucker 220-40 X 3,131,833 5/1964 Campbell et a1. 222-183 X 3,239,145 3/1966 Russo 220-40 X M. HENSON WOOD, 1a., Primary Examiner E. D. GRANT, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 222-325, 565 

